Chapter 99

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Chapter 99: Learning Literature

However, when Zhang Xiaohua eagerly opened the worn martial arts manual, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What was this? Little people demonstrated various moves, accompanied by numerous arrows drawn on the pages, furthermore, there were many tiny characters scribbled in the margins. It seemed like the book could recognize him, but he couldn’t recognize the book. How was he supposed to read this?

He had no choice but to close the manual again and then noticed the cover, which had three large characters on it. He only recognized one of them, “Er”. Zhang Xiaohua skeptically asked: “Brother Li, what kind of martial arts manual is this?”

Li Jinfeng chuckled and pointed to the three large characters, saying, “It’s written right there,  ‘Erlang Fist’.”

“Oh, it’s Erlang Fist.” Zhang Xiaohua nodded and thought about it. He had learned this martial technique before and had learned two moves from it. So, he reopened the manual and flipped through it page by page, but none of the moves looked familiar. This was strange. Was this manual not about Erlang Fist, or had he not learned Erlang Fist properly?

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua flipping through the manual repeatedly, Zhang Xiaohu curiously asked: “Xiaohua, why are you flipping through it over and over? Aren’t you supposed to read a martial arts manual page by page?”

Zhang Xiaohua looked up and said: “Second Brother, I’ve learned this Erlang Fist, but why can’t I find the two moves I remember?”

“What?! You’ve only memorized two moves from this martial art?” Zhang Xiaohu asked in surprise.

“Yes, ah. I don’t know why either. I only remember two moves, and it seems they aren’t even connected.”Zhang Xiaohua said, feeling a bit embarrassed:

Zhang Xiaohu smiled and said: “That’s okay. It’s already good that you can remember anything. Look at me, I’ve only learned one set of a martial technique. Hmm, let me take a look at the martial arts manual.”

He then took the martial art manual from Zhang Xiaohua and began examining it carefully, flipping through the pages and mimicking the movements with his hands. After a while, Zhang Xiaohu said: “I understand now. Whether this manual is really about Erlang Fist, I’m not sure, but it is definitely a martial technique. Look at this first move, the left hand is positioned in front of the chest with the palm facing up. See the arrow pointing upwards? It indicates that the palm strike from the left hand should go upwards. It seems like the move you remember is part of a series of actions from the chest to the target. That’s why the illustrations might look different from what you recall.”

Zhang Xiaohua thought about it and said, “Second Brother, what you said makes sense. I’ll take another look.”

So, Zhang Xiaohua flipped through the manual a few more times. When he reached a certain page, he suddenly exclaimed with joy: “Second Brother, I found it! It’s this move right here. Yes, this is the one I remember, but it seems like the stance is a bit more exaggerated, and the punch is aimed slightly lower.”

When Zhang Xiaohu came over to check, he added: “But this should be Erlang Fist. Captain He mentioned that the moves I remember are quite different from what he taught, especially in the details.”

“Hmm, it doesn’t matter, as long as can use it.” Zhang Xiaohu naturally didn’t mind these details. The doctor had already said that Zhang Xiaohua could no longer practice martial arts, so it didn’t matter what he said now.

Zhang Xiaohu looked at the page in the book and said: “Oh, you’re probably right. Let me try it out.”

After speaking, he referred to the boxing manual and slowly performed the move. Zhang Xiaohua said: “That’s right, Second Brother, that’s the move. Haha, so the martial arts manual turns out to be such a good thing.”

“But what is written here?” Zhang Xiaohu pointed to the tiny characters on the margin and asked Li Jinfeng.

Li Jinfeng took the martial arts manual, looked at the text, and read aloud: “This art of striking is as natural as walking, viewing opponents as if they were mere straw.  Moving with the sound of the wind, rising and falling like a piercing arrow. The subtleties and mysteries of this cannot be understood without true teachings. Without oral instruction, it is also difficult to enter this state. The principles of this technique are based on reason and purpose. If one follows the proper path, one can roam the world freely. To comprehend my thoughts and insights requires Five Virtues. Those who are righteous can attain this true path. Someone learning this martial art must unify the three points of the upper, middle, and lower body, coordinating hands and feet in unison to be in harmony. When engaging an opponent, all movements should be coordinated, with feet advancing first, then the hands, and finally the body, in this order. This is the key to mastery.”

[TL_Note: The Five Virtues are:

Ren (仁): Benevolence or humaneness, the quality of compassion and kindness.

Yi (义): Righteousness or justice, the moral disposition to do good.

Li (礼): Propriety or ritual, the respect for tradition and social norms.

Zhi (智): Wisdom or knowledge, the ability to see what is right and fair.

Xin (信): Fidelity or trustworthiness, the quality of being faithful and reliable.]

Both Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua were puzzled and asked together: “What does this mean?”

Li Jinfeng then interpreted the text based on its literal meaning and explained it to them. Zhang Xiaohua lowered his head in silence, thought for a moment, and said: “These words, Captain He seemed to have mentioned them when he was teaching me, but I don’t remember them very clearly.”

Well, how much could Zhang Xiaohua remember?

Zhang Xiaohu praised: “Having this martial art manual is really nice, it’s like having a master by your side teaching you.”

Zhang Xiaohua didn’t say much, just lowered his head and pondered. Then, he looked up at Li Jinfeng and said: “Big Brother Li, I want to learn to read. Can you teach me?”

Li Jinfeng was quite surprised, looking at Zhang Xiaohua’s bright and expectant eyes. He said: “Xiaohua, why do you suddenly want to learn to read? Oh, is it because you want to read this martial arts manual yourself?”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded and said: “Yes, Big Brother Li. You may not know this, but it’s very difficult to find a master to teach martial arts. Moreover, I’m not naturally gifted in practicing martial arts. I can’t learn any set of techniques fully and I guess no master would be willing to teach me, so I’ll have to learn by myself. I want to practice more martial arts, but I can’t read the characters in the manual. If I practice incorrectly, it won’t work. So, I want to learn to read from you. Do you think that’s possible?”

Li Jinfeng said: “No problem at all, Xiaohua. Since you will be recuperating on the kang for a while, I gave you that martial art manual to help pass the time. If you can learn to read, you’ll gain knowledge and kill time, killing two birds with one stone. How could I not agree? However…”

[TL_Note: kang = heated brick bed]

Zhang Xiaohua quickly asked: “However what, Big Brother Li?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua’s anxious look, Li Jinfeng smiled and said: “Teaching you to read is no problem at all. We can start right away. My ‘however’ was about something else. Relying solely on a martial arts manual for practice is like working behind closed doors. It can’t compare to having a master’s guidance. After all, a master has practiced the techniques themselves. As the saying goes, ‘True knowledge comes from practice’. Without a master’s instruction, isn’t there a risk of going astray?”

“Going astray? Ah, what should I do then?” Zhang Xiaohua was at a loss for words.

Zhang Xiaohu quickly said: “It’s okay, Xiaohua. You need to recognize the characters first to learn this Erlang Fist manual. See how it compares to what you’ve learned on your own and take your time to understand it. As for the risk of going astray, when you learn a new technique, I can find a bodyguard or someone else who has practiced this technique and ask for advice. This should make it much safer.”

Zhang Xiaohua laughed: “Second brother, that’s a great idea. I’ll start learning to read right away.”

Zhang Xiaohua was so excited that he moved, and with an “Ah!”, a sharp pain shot through him, causing him to cry out involuntarily.

Zhang Xiaohu and Li Jinfeng quickly moved to the kang and, though they dared not touch Zhang Xiaohua’s injured arm, they held his body still and said: “Be careful, don’t move around too much. If your fingers heal crookedly, you won’t be able to practice martial arts anymore.”

Thus, while recuperating, Zhang Xiaohua began his journey to learn to read. Li Jinfeng, who was also a great teacher, was delighted to have such a big student. He was so enthusiastic that he would come around every couple of days to check on Zhang Xiaohua, which made Zhang Xiaohu a bit tired of it. However, since he was teaching his younger brother out of goodwill and without charge, he couldn’t complain. He reluctantly moved his own practice area to the courtyard of the escort agency. His method of practice was somewhat different from others, and sometimes, quite a few people would come to watch, which was rather puzzling.

One day, Zhang Xiaohu was practicing in the courtyard, feeling somewhat restless and ready to finish up, when someone came running to him, saying that Third Master Qu had requested his presence at the martial arts hall. Zhang Xiaohu was taken aback but then overjoyed, thinking that it might be about the training at the martial arts hall. He quickly thanked the messenger, tidied himself up, and headed to the backyard.

Third Master Qu’s house was on the side of the martial arts hall, in a refined building. At that moment, Yu Deyi was accompanying Third Master Qu. Third Master Qu asked Yu Deyi with concern: “Deyi, how is your internal injury recovering?”

Yu Deyi replied: “Thank you for your concern, Uncle Qu. It’s nearly healed.”

Third Master Qu observed Yu Deyi’s rosy complexion and nodded, saying: “The practice of internal energy requires guarding against arrogance and impatience. Your temperament has always been rash, so there might be setbacks. As the saying goes, ‘To learn martial arts, you must first be a good person’. One must first be a good person, or else it’s easy to end up with nothing to show for it.”

Yu Deyi quickly nodded and said: “Thank you for your guidance, Uncle.”

Third Master Qu then said: “Deyi, your conduct in the recent match with Zhang Xiaohu was inappropriate. Zhang Xiaohu is just a new porter, no matter how high his skills or how good his talent is, he is still far inferior to you. Why couldn’t you tolerate his vanity? It’s fine to teach him a lesson, but why did you use internal energy during the match? That’s a major taboo in a sparring match and would make you lose respect in the martial world. Fortunately, this was within the escort agency and no outsiders knew about it. Otherwise, it would have affected your reputation. You must be careful in the future.”

Yu Deyi’s face flushed as he said: “Uncle Qu, it was just that I was used to it. I forgot about everything and just instinctively used the Purple Sand Palm. You know I’ve practiced it for over twenty years and it’s a habit. Sometimes I use it unconsciously.”

Third Master Qu said: “Hmm, there’s a certain truth to it. However, it’s interesting that this Xiaohu forced you to use the Purple Sand Palm. I’m curious to see how far he can go. Well, what do you think of him?”

Yu Deyi thought for a moment and said: “From the techniques he used during the fight, he does have some real skills. He could grasp the essence of the Six Harmonies Fist even though he’s just started learning, and he even has his own insights. He’s a promising talent. However, he has no inner energy. A martial art without internal energy is like a tiger without teeth, hardly frightening. When I think about it, when I used internal energy, Zhang Xiaohu was as clumsy as a baby, both in terms of speed and strength.”

Third Master Qu scoffed and said: “Of course he can’t compare to you. You’ve been practicing your family’s Purple Sand Palm since you were a child, and have been immersed in it for years. It would be strange if you couldn’t beat him. Luckily, that palm strike was intercepted by his younger brother. If it had hit him directly in the chest, he would have been dead, and you would have faced a manslaughter charge. While fighting is not taboo in the Jianghu, killing someone in broad daylight in Pingyang City is still unacceptable. Even if it’s not a big deal, it could still cause trouble for your father.”

Yu Deyi quickly stood up again and said: “I understand, Uncle Qu. Thank you for your guidance.”

Third Master Qu stroked his beard and said: “Fortunately, his younger brother intervened right on time and your control over your internal power helped. Even though you sustained some internal injuries, it wasn’t a major problem. It can be considered that you handled it properly.”

At this point, Yu Deyi had a strange expression on his face and said: “Uncle Qu, I still have a sense of control over my internal energy. If I had solely relied on withdrawing it, I wouldn’t have suffered internal injuries.”

“Oh?” Third Master Qu was a little surprised and asked: “Is there something else going on?”

Then Third Master Qu slapped his forehead and said: “Ah, I almost forgot. Zhang Xiaohu’s younger brother lifted a 500-jin stone lock when he came to test at the escort agency. No wonder you suffered internal injuries. The force from his punch must have disrupted your internal energy channels.”

Yu Deyi said with lingering fear: “Yes, when that force hit my palm, it was so frightening that I almost lost my wits. Luckily, it was purely brute force. If it had been internal energy, it would have invaded my meridians while I was withdrawing my own internal energy, and the internal injury would have been far worse.”

Third Master Qu patted him on the shoulder and said: “There’s no need to worry now. His younger brother’s hand has been rendered useless, so he won’t be able to practice martial arts in this lifetime. With only the innate strength of his left hand, he won’t make much of a stir. It’s a pity, however, I heard from the people at Huanxi Villa that his talent is worse than average. He learned from someone named He Tianshu at the villa for a month and couldn’t even learn a complete set of techniques after learning for a month. Truly disappointing. Since his hand is now useless, he won’t be able to practice martial arts anyway. It’s unfortunate, but perhaps there are other opportunities for him, which could be considered your merit.”

Yu Deyi asked in disbelief: “Is his talent really that poor? His brother seems to be a prodigy.”

Third Master Qu laughed: “I heard this from a disciple of the Piaomiao Sect who was with them, so it should be accurate. I initially thought he was a rare talent with innate divine strength with a promising future, so I felt sorry for him. Hearing this news, though…”

Just then, a knock came at the door. Third Master Qu asked: “Who is it?”

A voice from outside answered: “It’s Zhang Xiaohu. Third Master Qu, you sent for me, didn’t you?”

Third Master Qu looked at Yu Deyi, and they exchanged glances before Third Master Qu called out: “Ah, Zhang Xiaohu, come in.”

Zhang Xiaohu opened the door and entered, noticing Yu Deyi in the room. He was slightly surprised but first saluted Third Master Qu and then bowed to Yu Deyi.

Yu Deyi quickly returned the greeting and said: “Zhang Xiaohu, it’s been a few days. How is your brother’s injury? I’ve been recuperating indoors and haven’t had the chance to visit, so please forgive me.”

Zhang Xiaohu quickly replied: “It’s nothing to worry about. My brother is recovering very well. The pain has significantly lessened over the past few days, so he should be fine soon. Please don’t worry too much, Young Master Yu. How is your health?”

Yu Deyi smiled and said: “Thanks to Brother Zhang’s well wishes, I’m improving daily. I was able to come out today and quickly came to Uncle Qu to apologize.”

Third Master Qu chimed in: “Yes, Yu Deyi was just telling me about his mistakes. But Zhang Xiaohu, fighting is unpredictable, and accidents can happen. I hope you can forgive him.”

Zhang Xiaohu responded: “Third Master Qu, Young Master Yu, please rest assured. Both my brother and I understand this principle, especially Xiaohua. He holds no grudge at all, so there’s nothing to forgive.”

“Ha ha ha!” Third Master Qu laughed heartily and said: “Zhang Xiaohu, both you and Yu Deyi will be core elites of the Lotus Escort Agency in the future. There will be much cooperation between you two, so I’m very pleased to see you resolving any past grievances.”

Zhang Xiaohu and Yu Deyi both smiled in agreement.

The three of them then took their seats.

Third Master Qu continued: “Zhang Xiaohu, I wanted to let you know that I’ve resolved the matters at Huanxi Villa. Your younger brother can stay and work at the Huanxi Villa in the future. As long as he’s willing, it doesn’t matter how long he works. I even had to use my old face to negotiate with the villa’s owner to make this happen.”

Zhang Xiaohu quickly stood up and said: “Thank you very much, Third Master Qu.”

Third Master Qu replied: “No need for thanks. Sit down.”

Once Zhang Xiaohu was seated again, he added: “For now, let your younger brother stay at the escort agency to recuperate. It’s not too late to go back once his injury improves. Regarding your own situation, I’ve already discussed it with Sixth Master Li. Starting tomorrow, you can come to the martial arts hall for training. However, you’ll still need to fulfill your duties as a porter. When there are assignments, you’ll need to go out. But on usual days, you can focus on learning at the martial arts hall. How does that sound?”

Zhang Xiaohu was delighted and said: “That’s truly very kind of you, Third Master Qu.”

Third Master Qu smiled and said: “It’s nothing. I’m fortunate to have found such a martial arts genius like you for the escort agency. We’ll be relying on young talents like you in the future.”

Zhang Xiaohu and Yu Deyi quickly responded: “We are grateful and will continue to rely on the support and guidance of our elders.”

Third Master Qu then gave Zhang Xiaohu a few encouraging words and allowed him to leave.

However, when Zhang Xiaohu stood up, he saluted Third Master Qu and said: “Third Master Qu, there’s one more thing I’m unsure whether to mention.”

Third Master Qu smiled and said: “It’s fine. Go ahead and speak.”

Zhang Xiaohu said: “Since my brother is bedridden recovering from his injuries, he’s feeling bored and wants to find some martial arts manuals to read. But I don’t have a way to find any for him. I heard that the martial arts hall has some manuals. Could you possibly lend him a few?”

Third Master Qu lowered his head and pondered for a moment. He said: “That’s possible. Since this child is so eager to learn, we should support him. I’ll write a note for you to take. Feel free to borrow whatever he likes, but make sure to remind him not to disclose anything outside. Understand?”

Zhang Xiaohu was overjoyed, took the note from Third Master Qu, and thanked him profusely before leaving happily.